Certain beverage preparation machines use capsules containing an ingredient to be extracted or to be dissolved and/or an ingredient that is stored and dosed automatically in the machine or else is added at the time of preparation of the drink. Some beverage machines possess liquid filling means that include a pump for liquid, usually water, which pumps the liquid from a source of water that is cold or indeed heated through heating means, e.g. a thermoblock or the like.
Especially in the field of coffee preparation, machines have been widely developed in which a capsule containing a beverage ingredient is inserted in a brewing device. The brewing device is tightly closed about the capsule, water is injected at the first face of the capsule, the beverage is produced in the closed volume of the capsule and a brewed beverage can be drained from a second face of the capsule and collected into a receptacle such as a cup or glass.
Brewing devices have been developed to facilitate insertion of a capsule into the chamber, for instance, by using a feeding arrangement or a motorized brewing unit.
WO 01/84993 relates to a beverage machine with a movable drawer sliding horizontally to bring a capsule from a loading stated to an inserted position in a motorized brewing unit. Such machine allows automating tasks like the introduction of a capsule into the brewing unit or the preparation of a plurality of beverages. However, for triggering the preparation of the beverage, the user has still to either activate manually the movable drawer sliding and/or press a start button.
Rotating magazines storing capsules into cartridges are also known for automatically feeding a brewing unit. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,240,832 teaches a magazine in a beverage machine, with recognition means for displaying information related to capsules stored in a user-selected cartridge, and having a transfer mechanism to feed the brewing unit with a capsule extracted from said cartridge. However, rotating magazines are mechanically complicated and cumbersome. They also raise several ergonomic concerns, in particular with a beverage machine conceived to be fed with several types of capsules. For example, if a user wishes to prepare a beverage with a capsule of a type which is not loaded in the magazine or which is in a position in the queue preventing it from being delivered right now, a new cartridge containing the desired capsule must be loaded, provided that a space is still available in the magazine; otherwise one of the cartridges must be flushed or extracted before the insertion of a new one. Moreover, for preparing a beverage, it is necessary to select a cartridge loaded with the desired type of capsules, then to press an appropriate button. This sequence may be perceived by the user as unnecessary long and not intuitive.
Furthermore, even if enhancing the user's interactions with the machine by increasing the level of automation is highly desirable, it usually comes along with safety issues, caused notably by moving parts actuated automatically by motors. In the field of the motorized beverage machines, it has been provided solutions to prevent or limit the risks of the insertion of inappropriate objects into the brewing chamber, like a finger or a spoon, which may cause damages to the machine and injuries to the user when the brewing unit is closed. For instance, EP1767129 relates to a beverage machine comprising a motorized brewing unit in which the capsule is inserted manually by gravity in an open passage between the jaw members of the unit. For safety reason, the passage can be blocked by a motorized closing gate.
However, there is still a need to increase the safety level of automated beverage machine, in particular whose having a automatic feeding arrangement cooperating with a motorized brewing unit.